Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman reaches 2,000 strikeout milestone, 90th all time

TORONTO — Kevin Gausman gained some ground on Max Scherzer on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout list on Monday, even reaching a major milestone.

Gausman struck out five over 4 2/3 innings but took the loss as the Toronto Blue Jays fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 8-5. Gausman’s third strikeout of the game — fanning Hunter Feduccia in the fourth inning — was the 2,000th K of his 14-year career.

“I’m glad that I got my 2,000 before Max got his 3,500,” joked the laid-back Gausman, who moved up to 90th on the all-time list.

There are five other active pitchers ahead of Gausman on the list: Detroit’s Justin Verlander (eighth), Scherzer (11th), Atlanta’s Chris Sale (28th), New York’s Gerrit Cole (61st) and San Diego’s Yu Darvish (80th).

Scherzer is sitting at 3,499 on his surefire Hall of Fame career, but he’s on the Blue Jays 15-day injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. Toronto manager John Schneider announced Monday that Scherzer will also get a cortisone injection in his right thumb.

Gausman was confident that, once healthy, his teammate will quickly reach the 3,500 mark and move ahead of legendary Walter Johnson on the list.

“I think (Scherzer) will be top 10, so there’s a big difference there (between us),” said Gausman. “My career has been ups and downs and been very different, not all sunshine and rainbows.

“So I take those things very seriously and, yeah, I’m honoured by it, for sure.”

Despite reaching the milestone, it was actually the worst outing of Gausman’s season to date.

The 35-year-old right-hander (2-3) allowed seven runs — six earned — on 10 hits. It was the most runs he’d given up since he allowed four to the Minnesota Twins over 5 2/3 innings runs on April 30.

His earned-run average rose from 3.09 to 3.86 over the course of the game.

Still, he got a rousing ovation when he struck out Feduccia.

“I’ve had some really cool moments here as a player, where the fans have made you feel some love,” said Gausman, who also had his first career strikeout at Rogers Centre when he was a member of the Baltimore Orioles. “I just wish I would have been able to enjoy it a little bit more.

“Giving up six runs isn’t isn’t fun, but, yeah, it was a cool moment, and I’ll definitely remember that forever.”

Although Gausman said he never thought he’d reach the 2,000 K plateau, Schneider wasn’t surprised the ace of Toronto’s staff accomplished the feat.

“When you think of Kevin, you think of consistency, durability and performance,” said Schneider. “Two thousand is quite an accomplishment in this day and age.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press